Days of Ruin
by Strife543
Summary: AW:DoR Spoilers When the whole world dies, when everyone and everything is dead, hope is truly all you have left. The survivors are few, and despite the calamity, they seek to lessen their numbers further still. Chapter 3 Up!
1. Prologue: Excerpt

**Disclaimer: I do not own Advance Wars, the characters, the units, the world, or it's destruction (Heh). All rights and trademarks go to Nintendo, as well as my praise for making such an awesome game! Yay! Props also go to them for making a GOOD post-apocalypse story which, in my books, is a REALLY hard thing to do (It's rather simple to screw up a concept like that and make a bad story...)**

**Author's Note: Wow, it feels like FOREVER since I've written anything! I know alot of people wanted an update to my Pokefic... Well, thats on hiatus right now until I get inspired to work on it again. I've just been feeling so useless lately that I wanted to get SOMETHING done, so here is project #246-B, my Advance Wars fic! I may not finish it, but I'll be damned if I'm just going to do nothing with my days off! I do ask that any comments/threats along the lines of "FINISH THE OTHER DAMN STORIES" be EMAILED to me, instead of posted as reviews here for this one, please and thanks.**

**Anyway, about this story, a few things off the bat here; this story DOES follow the AW: DoR storyline, and it will do so as closely as possible. Granted, I plan to take my share of liberties with it where I can, but except to see some dialouge/quotes straight from the game tossed in here (This isn't due to a lack of creativity on my part, but for the most part the game did an excellent job on speech-content, so really there was no room to improve it) Also, naturally, except a ton of spoilers from reading it... I mean, duh, right? **

-- Prologue: Excerpt

War is inevitable.

It's a common enough fact, in any day and age. Today, yesterday, years long passed and those still to come. Humans are aggressive by nature; it's only natural that they will, inevitably, take up arms against one another. Most certainly peace will, in time, come about as a result, but it is never everlasting – Sooner or later, it all begins anew.

But no matter how bad the fighting got, no matter how many bodies fell, the world lived on through it all. No matter how much damage was done, it could always be undone. The planet could do what people simply couldn't; survive.

… At least, that's we used to think. That was the truth of it… Until the meteors fell.

It all happened so fast; the day was like any other. One battle had ended, the next simply awaiting it's beginning, when the fire rained down. No one knows how many fell upon us and in the end, it matters not. When the meteors struck, the land burned. When they hit, the earth shook. When they destroyed us, the oceans raged.

Not from the deadliest of weapons could the planet be so supremely felled – The devastation was total. The planet was dead.

The impacts forced dust upwards, blotting out the sun in its entirety. Never again would we be blessed with a hot summer's day, nor would its light shine down on us in the early morn. It was as though we had been forgotten, in a way, left to our own devices as it were.

It's crazy to think that we can still survive. Ludicrous, even. When the planet itself has been slain, turned truly to little more then an ashen wasteland, then how could we, the very humans who time and again sought our own destruction, survive where our home did not? The very idea is…

No. We're not done yet. The human race won't die – Not without a fight. Despite the destruction, despite even the death of our precious planet, we will live on. As long as there is life, there is hope.

And that hope is what will sustain us, until we have the strength to stand strong once more.

-- Excerpt from a ruined journal.


	2. Chapter I: Beyond Devastation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Advance Wars, the characters, the units, the world, or it's destruction (Heh). All rights and trademarks go to Nintendo, as well as my praise for making such an awesome game! Yay! Props also go to them for making a GOOD post-apocalypse story which, in my books, is a REALLY hard thing to do (It's rather simple to screw up a concept like that and make a bad story...)**

**Author's Note: ... Just, you know, see the prologue. But yeah, this is where the story ACTUALLY begins. And no, no character POV this time around, rather a "narrator follows the character around" sorta thing... That's 3rd person, right? I forget...**

-- Chapter I: Beyond Devastation

The youth staggered to his feet. Fresh air at last… Almost. The sky was dark – Was that ash up above? Dust perhaps? - But not at all the color of nightfall. No, it was a grey, almost bleak color. He looked to the left, then to the right – His arms and hands throbbed with pain from digging, his very fingers seemed almost ready to burst. When the meteors struck, the academy fell, and the people within fell right along with it. He knew not how long he'd been buried, nor even how he managed to escape it all, all that mattered was he could stand again, and face the world around him.

But this was not the world he knew. This was a nightmare.

Everything was in ruins. The buildings, the plant life, even the ground itself. Civilization in it's entirely had been demolished in an instant, and all the youth could do was stand and gape at the results. "No…" he whispered, not wanting to believe it. He took a step forward; the pain surged downwards to his legs, bringing him to a quick, almost abrupt halt.

Tears sprang to his eyes, as he fell to his knees. Heedless of the want to hold his hurt, the boy cried into his hands, "This can't be… This can't be happening…" he told himself, again and again, hoping against hope that his words would somehow do the impossible, and reverse this hell. Rubbing at his eyes with tarnished gloves, the youth dared to look again, and the ever gloomy sight stared back at him.

Shifting, he looked back behind him, at the wreckage that was the academy. A lot of good people lived there… At least, they did. The boy stiffened as a grim realization set in; what if he was the only one left? In all the time he'd spent digging, crawling, trying desperately to find his way from the rubble, never did he see – Or even hear – Another living soul. Once or twice, he came across the crushed bodies of the more unfortunate students but, thankfully, none he knew by name or face. The youth shook his head, and looked painfully away, before screaming into the distance, "Helloooooooooooo!" he cried, "Can anybody hear me!?"

The cries echoed long into the distance, but no voice, no groan, no sound of any kind arose to return them. The boy cupped his hands to his mouth and tried again, "Please! If you can hear me… Someone! Anyone! Please help me!"

This time, an answer came, but not in the form the boy had expected.

The revving of an engine drew his attention quickly to the left, and from the rubble a savage looking bike burst forth. Built for urban combat, the machine flew towards the downed youth, darting off to the side just as it would have struck him – The rider laughed and spat through his teeth as he began to circle. The boy leaped to his feet and stumbled back, watching the man with much fear.

He didn't have time to think when others raced out of the damage, as though they had been hiding all this time. The boy eyed them all, panic taking hold of his mind all the while. In no way could this be a good thing, for every man - Four in total, including the rider – Held a weapon… And every one of them was advancing on him.

Another vehicle, this time a gun-mounted jeep, rounded a sharp corner of the wreckage and sped towards the group, stopping just before the bike's circle. The boy searched about for some means to defend himself, but to no avail. Within the jeep sat two more men, one of which stood high enough for the youth to spot; he leaned on the seat and eyed the boy right back. The man was a behemoth, built as though he had the strength of ten. Dark of skin with eyes to match, the man's wild, untamed hair blew in the dust-covered winds as he stared at his new prize.

"What've we got here?" he asked, his voice as harsh as his looks would dictate.

The boy risked a step forward, "Please…" he spoke, barely above a whisper, before raising his tone, "Please, help me! My name is Will, and I'm a cadet at the Rubinelle military academy!" though it was pointless to do so Will, nonetheless, gestured vainly towards the ruined building of which he spoke.

A sick grin spread across the great man's face, as he faced his comrades. "Look sharp roaches!" he called to them, instantly gaining both the attention of the men, as well as equally savage cries, "We got us a live one here! And it's just some punk kid, no less! You know the drill – I want his food, and I want his weapons!"

Will gasped as the man spoke on, "Leave his corpse where it drops, we got no use for a dead brat. Let's go boys!" with booming laughter, the great man – Little more then a beast, in Will's eyes – Lowered himself back into the jeep and ordered the driver to get it moving again.

Looking around, Will watched as the men converged on him. Though the biker seemed to keep his distance, his friends were not so inclined. What's more, they were armed where Will was not. But although they were so close a militia base, most conventional weapons seemed to be beyond the grasps of these savages. One man held a rusty looking blade, half cracked part of the way up, while another held the barrel of a gun upwards, as though he planned to swing the weapon like a club – Out of ammo, most likely. The last seemed to be the crudest of all, for all he had was a pipe, one which had coiled about itself in a seemingly bizarre manner. From the destruction he had seen thus far, Will doubted such a thing was out of the ordinary now.

Once more the youth cast about in search of… Of anything! Any weapon, any item that he could use to defend himself or, better yet, escape this ever growing nightmare entirely. Breaking through their lines, even as flimsy as they were, was impossible. If nothing else, he was too tired, too hurt, to even try something like that… No, this was it. Sucking down a deep breath, Will dropped his arms and looked hopelessly ahead. He may have survived the apocalypse, but he wouldn't be telling anyone about it.

The Jeep raged up upon him, nearly striking down one of the other savages, as the Beast aimed the machine gun from the vehicle squarely at the boy. His crazed, almost insane grin spread even wider as he pulled the trigger…

The whole vehicle _exploded_.

Though the driver was lost along with it, the Beast, somehow, was hurled beyond the wreckage, and tossed roughly to the ground. Roaring, he rolled onto his back in time to see an armored vehicle racing towards him at an alarming rate – Flanked on either side by bikers and jeeps like his own.

The others saw the approach as well, and lost all interest in the boy. The rider took off towards the new attackers and opened fire with his machine gun, trying to take out the armored tank before it could wreck anymore havoc. Will saw his opening, and took it, pushing passed one of the distracted "roaches" and racing into the destruction as fast as he could. His chest heaved with exhaustion, his whole body wracked with pain, but still he ran… His life depended on it.

Though a powerful weapon in its own right, the shattering fire of the machine gun rounds did little against an armored tank. The crimson-colored war machine pressed on heedless of the bursts and opened fire with its own guns, tearing through both rider and machine with little effort.

With a savage roar, the Beasts spun his arm around and signaled to the others, "What're you mucks waitin' for? Get them!"

But Will, far from the battle, could only run. The radio at his belt cracked and buzzed, as though trying to establish contact all on its own. Daring a look back, the boy's legs finally gave out and he fell to the ground panting. With a quick gesture, he unclipped the radio and brought it to his face, furiously tinkering with the buttons until a voice rang clear through the speaker; "Give me tactical, Lin."

A second voice, this one a woman's, was quick to respond. "The jeep and bike are gone; we've only men on foot to deal with now. Shouldn't be a problem."

"And the boy? The one you identified as one of ours, where did he go?"

The static returned, Will pounded on the machine in anger. Were those people in the tank trying to save him? Again he looked back, and watched the carnage unfold.

Heedless of their disadvantage, as well as the fact their munitions were all but annihilated, the savages fought on. The Beast himself tore one rider from his bike and climbed aboard, circling around the tank as it fought for a clear shot. The second, still atop his machine, tore through the roaches with quick rifle bursts. Will gasped and held his stomach, suddenly feeling queasy, "This… This isn't like training at all…" he murmured, unable to look away.

With a raging bellow, the Beast's voice rang clear through Will's radio – Were they all on the same frequency now? – "What's the big idea dogface? This got nothin' to do with you!" he demanded.

The youth watched as the Beast tore through the other rider with his gun, before rounding to pursue the tank again. "Not training at all…" Will whispered, "This is the real thing!"

Another voice came through the radio, the first one from before. It had a strong, commanding tone to it, one that almost seemed to inspire confidence in the already terrified cadet, "It's got everything to do with me. I'm a solider – It's my duty. You remember what duty is, don't you?"

The shot seemed to bounce right off, for the Beast only laughed in retort, "Duty? Don't make me laugh, soldier boy! This world is DEAD. D-E-A-D – DEAD. And your precious duty went hand in hand with it right to hell. We're no soldiers, not your, not me, we're survivors. This is OUR time. No rules, no laws. We rob, we kill, we're KINGS!" The tirade made Will feel even sicker then he already did.

There was a pause, followed by, "Not anymore."

From the tank, the cannon fired.

Though it didn't hit the bike square, the impact on the ground was enough to throw the Beast from his mount and too the dirt once again. With a roar, the great man rose again as the vehicle bore down on him. The cannon lowered and aimed straight towards him, "Your days of preying on survivors are over." Will heard the soldier's voice again, "We're going to put you down like the rabid dogs you are. You may have forgotten your duty, but we have not."

The words inspired the cadet, truly they did. He'd wanted to give up hope when the meteors hit, and wanted to again when the savages had him cornered but now… Now there he felt it anew. Whoever these people were, whoever these noble soldiers who'd come to help him were, he knew he could trust them. Here they fought, tooth and nail, against people who… Could they even truly be called that now?

The Beast snarled at the tank as it crept up towards him, all guns targeting his large frame. It seemed as though his number had finally come up, when he seized the fallen bike with both hands and hurled it towards the armored vehicle. Though not damaging in the least, it was enough of a distraction for the man to make his escape. The moment the Beast hit the ruins, he was gone.

And Will could only stand and watch as the tank rolled on towards him.

--

**... So, how'd I do so far? I'll be the first to admit I don't know a ton about weaponry (IE: Types of guns and munitions and the like) or vehicles (I'm going to be using a lot of AW terms as a crutch for this stuff) so if the wording is sketchy at all, that's what I'm attributing it too. That said, thoughts? Opinions? ... Please?**


	3. Chapter II: Worth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Advance Wars, the characters, the units, the world, or it's destruction (Heh). All rights and trademarks go to Nintendo, as well as my praise for making such an awesome game! Yay! Props also go to them for making a GOOD post-apocalypse story which, in my books, is a REALLY hard thing to do (It's rather simple to screw up a concept like that and make a bad story...)**

**Author's Note: This chapter is more the transitional period between Mission 1 and 2 in AW:DoR, expect me to be doing this alot during the course of this 'Fic cause, you know, it makes it more story-friendly then saying "Infantry moved 2 squares up, 1 square east and shot the War Tank. Dunno why he did, but it's his funeral now, right?" Bleh. **

-- Chapter II: Worth

The attack had left Will shaken, but the rescue had gone a long ways towards calming him down once again. When the tank had arrived, the soldiers within had taken him in as one of their own, and after a little distance, they arrived at the ruins of a city – Not far from the former military academy, but far enough that the youth was sure he would be seeing no more of the Beast.

Will stepped from the large, armored vehicle and looked around, a tall man; one dressed head to toe in militia attire, stepped forward and took hold of his arm, giving it a light shake. "You all right, kid?" he asked, giving the boy as much time as he needed to answer.

The cadet looked him over; his hair was cut short, as was standard military protocol, with the slightest hints of a beard beginning to form. His eyes seemed to take hold of Will, inspiring him, dragging him from the muck of despair and placing him back along the path of hope – There was little doubt in the young man's mind that this was the one he'd heard on his radio. "Yeah…" he managed, quite shakily, "Yeah I'm fine now… I mean, thank you – Thank you very much." He returned the handshake with much vigor, "I'm Will, a cadet at the military aca… I mean, I was, until the mete… Did all of that really just happen?"

It was obvious to both of them that the boy was at a loss with his words, but the older man simply smiled and shrugged it off, giving him a hearty clap on the back, "Easy now." He spoke, "You've been through a lot. A cadet, was it? I thought that jacket looked familiar…"

Will glanced down, and noted the similarities between his outfit and that belonging to his savior – If nothing else; the matching emblems were a dead giveaway. "What happened?" the man asked.

Though it took a few moments for the meaning to sink in, Will spoke quickly nonetheless, "It all happened so fast!" he blurted out, "One minute, I was sitting in the café', eating lunch and then everyone just… Died." The boy halted at the word, grimacing as the memories flooded over him. The man waited until he was ready to continue, "The mess hall came down around me, I don't even know how long I was buried for… All I could do was dig, and crawl – Once or twice I saw other bodies but… No one else made it out. No one but me." Despite himself, Will sniffled, inner swearing that he would not – Could not – Cry now. "I thought I was the only one left alive…"

"You did well to stay alive, both during the destruction and the aftermath."

Will only shook his head and looked away awkwardly, "I just wanted to stay alive…"

At last, the man gave a soft nod, and led him onwards towards others dressed much like him. Among their numbers, among the many otherwise faceless soldiers, Will could make out a single woman, with hair both long and dark, staring at them with unblinking eyes. "I'm captain Brenner. I command the twelfth battalion, pride of the Rubinelle army." He stopped just short of the staring woman and gestured towards her, "And this is my second in command…"

The woman stood at the ready, arms at either side as she gave a soft salute, never blinking. "First lieutenant Lin." She told Will, "Welcome to Brenner's Wolves."

Her outfit was different from the rest, but with enough similarities to link her to the rest of the unit. A long army jacket buttoned only at the top which flew freely down below her waist, with a black undershirt beneath. Circling the woman's left arm was a band bearing the mark of the unit – Brenner's Wolves, as it were. Will was surprised, to say the least, for not only had these people banded together, but they had amassed enough supplies to defend themselves properly. Even in these darkest of times, humanity had proven itself able to cope with any situation. He felt tremendous relief, and with good reason.

"We've made it our mission…" Brenner began, snapping Will from his thoughts and gaining the cadet's attention once more, "…To seek out and aid survivors of the disaster. It goes without saying there are more like yourself Will, and they'll need help. We need to find them, bring them together, and get all of humanity back on its feet." He gave a nod to the rest of the unit, most of which had stopped their current tasks to listen to their commander, or at the very least eye the newcomer, "It's going to take some time, but all things worth doing always do – I suggest you come with us Will, the world is a dangerous place to live alone in now."

But the boy needed no convincing, for deep down he had hoped Brenner would say just that. Since the moment he'd heard the man's voice, the instant he felt that shining hope inside of him, he knew, somehow, that this was where he belonged in this new, dark world. There was no changing what had happened, but so long as he stayed with the Wolves, he could make a difference. Will grinned, "Yes sir!" he cried, with much exuberance, "That would be fantastic! You won't be sorry about… Ohhhh…"

All at once, Will stumbled back, clutching at his chest with both hands. Some of the soldiers moved closer, worry and anxiousness clear in their tones, and even Brenner looked rather worried – In fact, of the unit only Lin seemed unperturbed by the sudden change, she merely watched the boy silently. "Are you alright, Will?" The captain asked him.

With a sheepish grin, the boy gave a nod, "Sorry." He managed, groaning once more, "I haven't eaten in a long time…"

Brenner couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Goodness son, that was only your stomach? I'd thought we were under attack again!" he joked, gaining more then a few laughs from his men as he turned to escort the young lad towards some of the tents the unit had set up in the area – A makeshift camp, as it were – The captain gave Will another glance, "Let's get you fed, eh? Just don't get TOO excited – All we have is canned bread."

*****

The meal gave Will some time to think. Brenner, after being good on his word and supplying the boy with enough to fill his stomach, had left to deal with other matters whereas Lin the cadet had, really, seen hide nor head of since meeting her earlier that day. 'Must not be much of a people person.' He thought to himself, jamming his fork into his third cylinder of mildly-sticky bread. The meal did little to appease his taste buds, but at least it stopped his stomach rumbling.

So much had happened, and so quickly at that! He could scarcely recall the training that the academy had given him, even now when he was calm and at peace with himself. When the savages had attacked him, he'd throw caution completely to the wind and panicked… And if they found him again, even with the Wolves at his side, he couldn't afford to do the same. "I'll just buckle down and try harder next time." He told no one in particular, between forkfuls of the rather bland meal.

But of course, it would never be as easy as simply saying it.

Will tried to recall his classes – All basic stuff for a solider really. Weapons, survival skills, foraging, training on how to drive and operate tanks, bikes, and other light ground vehicles – And there was that one time he looked in on a hand-to-hand combat class as well. The boy grimaced at the memory; seeing how dangerous some others were with just their bare hands made him glad he knew how to fire a gun! Once or twice he had attended classes on the operations of air and naval machines – After all, with so many of his friends going on and on about how fighters and bombers beat out simple tanks, how could he not? But… They simply weren't for him. Will was content to keep his combat on ground level, and that worked just fine for him.

As some of the other members of the unit – No, not others. THEY were the unit, he was only a civilian… - Passed him by, far too engaged in their own conversation to pay him any mind, Will gradually became aware of something. Of all the people here, all the men and women, he was the youngest of them all. Brenner had at least ten or even fifteen years on him, and Lin's age he could only fathom but, at the very least, they were both older then he. The cadet made a face at the thought and returned to his meal; best to hurry up and finish eating so he could go see the captain for an assignment of some kind… The last thing he wanted to be was a burden, after all.

*****

"Will." Brenner addressed him as the youth stepped from the mess-tent. Lin was beside him, as was to be expected of someone of her particular rank. She only eyed him silently. "How're you feeling now?" the captain added.

The cadet gave a light pat to his stomach and a sheepish grin, "Much better, thanks to you captain." He returned, and as though he felt it would strengthen his claim, the boy pumped his fist into the air with some enthusiasm, "I feel like a new man!"

If Brenner took the action as childish, he gave no sign, rather he nodded off towards the outer perimeter of the camp, "You've got permission to leave camp if you wish – Wouldn't want to keep you cooped up in the tent all day, after all – Just don't stray too far, alright?"

Will followed the gestured and gave a swift nod. Though the offer was a kind one, Will had no desire to take off on his own just yet – He may have recovered his strength, but the fear of the unknown in this dark new world was a powerful one. Instinctively, his hand slipped his waist, where a holstered pistol – Compliments of the captain – Sat, cleaned, loaded, and ready for use should the need arrive. Granted, in an actual battle it'd be outclassed rather easily, but for self defense it would serve just fine. Brenner noticed the motion, as well as the look of anxiety on the cadet's face, "Something the matter?"

"The world's really changed, hasn't it?" Will spoke solemnly, almost as though the words pained him to speak, "Look – There's ash and dust everywhere… And everything is completely destroyed!" he tilted his head upwards, "The sky is dark – It's been like this for hours too, and it's not going to change. It's like… A never-ending twilight has taken hold of us; even the ground is coated in it… I've never seen so much gray." It was the color of despair.

Brenner looked away, "Ashes to ashes…" he murmured.

"When the meteors struck…" Lin began, giving the boy almost no time to realize that she was, indeed, speaking to him, "Huge clouds of dust and ash filled the sky, blotting out the sun entirely. Nothings changed since that day – We haven't seen even a single ray of sunshine since."

Will cringed, his stomach turned at the disheartening revelation, "When will the sky return to normal? When will all that dust and ash finally settle?"

"Years? Decades? Who can say?"

The cadet gasped at the lieutenant's words, "Decades!?"

Brenner took hold of his shoulder and gave the boy a light shake, "Don't fret Will. As long as there's life, there's hope. Remember that. We'll be okay."

The words hit home for the boy, and echoed throughout his mind and heart, "As long as there's life…" he whispered them back, "There's hope…"

Boy, he sure liked the sound of that.

The captain gave a nod, and released his shoulder. "That's right. The world we know is gone, but you can't give in to despair. That goes for all of us, as well. Someday things will be set right – Be it the natural course or the product of our own making, they will. We may be forced to arms to protect ourselves now, but we'll have peace again someday – And the life we all had, enjoyed, and loved so dearly will return to us." Brenner's smiling with uplifting, and full of life, "That's what I believe in, and that's why we're going to help everyone we can in the meantime."

Will was speechless. He fumbled with his words, trying to think of something, anything really, that could make the inspiring words of the captain, "Uh…" he began, when Brenner spoke again.

"Just keep it simple – Never give up. If you can do that, anything is possible, got it?"

Despite himself, the cadet found himself saluting, "Got it!"

Brenner gave a sharp nod, "That's the spirit – Now, let's get to work." He turned to his second, who stood at the ready, "Lin, I want recon units canvassing the area. Those savages won't be far off if they know we have supplies; find them, and cut them off before they get too close. Keep an eye out for any survivors as well, and contact me immediately if you find an-"

This time, it was Will who interrupted Brenner, "Captain! I want to help too!"

"Absolutely not." The captain returned, without even turning to face the boy, "It's far too dangerous, and you've only just recovered."

Will stomped his foot with some indignation, making fists so tight that, for an instant, he thought his cuts would burst open anew, "Come on!" he cried, disregarding completely how childish he must've sounded, "I know I'm just a cadet but… Captain, I can drive, or search or… Or hell, wash dishes! Anything! Please, just let me help!" he pleaded with the man, taking a step towards Brenner, "If it weren't for you and your men, I wouldn't be here right now – Please, let me do something."

For several seconds, Brenner was silently, before at last he let out a deep sigh, "You've got spirit, I'll give you that…" he spoke so low, Will had to strain to hear it, "Alright, you're in. You can help scout for survivors – But if anything, and I mean ANYTHING happens, you get your tail back here and let me handle it. You're too weak to fight, understood?" his stern voice did much to rattle the cadet, but Will nodded excitedly nonetheless.

"Yes sir!" he cried, giving another quick salute.


	4. Chapter III: A Single Life

**Disclaimer: I do not own Advance Wars, the characters, the units, the world, or it's destruction (Heh). All rights and trademarks go to Nintendo, as well as my praise for making such an awesome game! Yay! Props also go to them for making a GOOD post-apocalypse story which, in my books, is a REALLY hard thing to do (It's rather simple to screw up a concept like that and make a bad story...)**

**Author's Note: First chapter with sub-characters; these are people (Not quite COs, more like standard run-of-the-mill soldiers) With actual names as opposed to "Soldier A, Soldier 2, Soldier III, etc" And somewhat distinct personalities to boot. Expect them to make appearances over the course of the story.**

-- Chapter III: A Single Life

Bodies and ruin lay scattered all around him as Will moved cautiously through what remained of a nameless town – Perhaps it had had one at some point, but the meteors had, like they had with so much else, changed that forever. The cadet grimaced at the sight, and fought to keep his bread down as he picked through the corpses, trying to find someone, anyone, still left alive. The situation was anything but good as those that looked as though they had survived the initial attack… Were simply gunned down.

Behind him, a trio of Rubinelle soldiers followed closely behind, doing what they could to avoid the bodies as well, but keeping a closer eye on the surrounding area. Their mission was to protect the young cadet as well as assist him in the search – And they were forbidden to fail either of these assignments. Far off, at the back of the group, sat their machines; another of the tanks belonging to the wolves as well as a recon jeep to carry the rest. As per their captain's orders, an artillery unit had been drug along as well – Never know when they might come in handy, after all.

The Rubinelle closest to Will spat off to one side, glaring angrily down at the nearest body – At the bullet holes that had riddled the poor man, in particular. "It's them damn savages again." He told the others, before turning to Will, "Just hang it up kid, there's no one here. We're too late – This towns just like the rest, everyone's already dead."

Will shook his head and stared back at the man, his eyes the slightest bit watery – This was the first task Brenner had trusted him with; he couldn't just go back empty handed, could he? And even beyond that, this was a matter of life and death – What is the good captain had just left him at the academy? Chalked him up as just another corpse like this soldier – Christoph, his name was – Was doing now? Will didn't want to imagine it, even for a second.

"No… We're gonna keep looking… Yeah, just keep looking, for a little while longer…" he told them finally, turning and returning to his task.

Christoph sighed and gave a small nod; he wasn't heartless, after all, he just thought this a futile effort. The people here were clearly dead, and frisking corpses for signs of life sounded anything but pleasant but… Orders were orders. So long as Will stayed, they could do no different. The soldier waved his hand first to the right, then the left, signaling the others, "Robinson, check out that building over there. Marina, you're on point. Don't go lettin' nothin' get the drop on us now."

As Robinson moved to follow this newest order, the woman nodded and crouched low, creeping off to the side as per her instructions – If the savages had been this way once, there was little stopping them from returning once again. Especially if they knew the Wolves were here; and this was the perfect spot for an ambush, spread out as they were.

Christoph came up alongside Will, giving his shoulder a light nudge as he nodded on ahead, "Last building to check, up ahead there." He told him, motioning beyond the road and hilltops beyond the pair, "Slim pickins as far as I can tell – If we ain't found no one by now…" his words required no ending to have an impact.

But Will would not be deterred – Not in this. If there was a place to search, then he would check there. It didn't matter how slim their chances of finding someone were, he would be as thorough as possible – No one would be left behind, or left alone if he could help it. "I've got it." He told the soldier, taking a step down the road.

Swearing under his breath, Christoph followed after him, "I'm tellin' you kid, there ain't gonna be anyone there." He spoke, trying his best not to sound completely heartless in the process, "Me 'n' the others, we been out on these recon missions for weeks now, and you're the first person we found in all that time."

It was then that Will realized that, among others, Christoph must've been in that tank that saved him before – But that was all by the by. He shook his head and looked pleadingly at the soldier, "That doesn't matter!" he cried, "Whether its one or a dozen, every life matters! We can't be the only ones who survived the meteors or… Or who managed to stave off the savages all this time – There have just got to be others!" the cadet pointed up, and over the hills towards the building, "And for all we know, there could be a ton of'em just waiting for us in that building right there! That's it – We're going… Or I'm going on without you."

And with that, he took off again, breaking into a run towards the lone building – The remains a lab, Will realized, as he got closer. The eastern wall had completely gave way and collapsed upon itself while the rest looked all too ready to follow. The sign bearing the name of the company or ownership was long since destroyed and even the doors hung askew in the doorframe. Christoph swore again and started to follow, when his radio – And by proxy, those belonging to everyone else on the team – Flared to life. "All non-military personnel fall back immediately!" Brenner's voice rang through crystal clear, and his solid tone was unmistakable, "This is now a combat zone! Christoph – Get that tank up there to block the road and keep that artillery safe!"

There was a pause, followed by, "And get Will out of there."

Somehow, the captain had pegged the cadet to be far too headstrong – Despite whatever agreements he'd made to fall back if something happened, the boy continued to race on ahead towards the lab. "Will!" the soldier cried, seizing his radio and screaming into it, "Haul ass back here, kid! The mission's over – Let the captain take over! We stay out here any longer 'n' they'll be sizing us up for body bags!"

The tank roared passed him, heading for the curve in the road ahead – The ideal spot to block it and prevent any other vehicles from passing. Christoph's eyes widened as he remembered something… Something quite vital. He rushed to the top of the hill and looked on ahead; already he could see the enemies approaching. An enemy tank, as well as several men on bikes… The raiders had returned. "Brenner!" The soldier yelled into his radio, "That tank's outta ammo – its cannon's useless!"

When they'd first reached the town, there was far too much rubble to continue even on foot, let alone dragging the tank and artillery behind them – The group had been forced, sadly, to use the remaining tank shells in clearing it all away and creating a useable path. In truth, they hadn't expected to run into the raiders again so quickly, so the decision, at the time, had been a sound one. Now, as the enemy tank closed in, Christoph thought otherwise. He looked over his shoulder – The artillery was rolling slowly along the road. It would still take time to get into position. "The tank's main cannon is out of ammunition." Lin's voice repeated over the radio, "It still has its machine guns to rely on, but they're far less powerful."

Robinson and Marina came up alongside Christoph and gasped at the scene – The raiders had opened fire on the tank. Being far faster then the heavily armored vehicle, the bikers came into range first; thankfully, machine gun rounds did little against plated armor… In time, sure, they'd cut through, but this at least bought the Wolves a few precious minutes. The soldier pointed further down the hill, "Marina – Go get the kid, drag him back here if you have too, he ain't listening to a damn thing I say!"

The woman needed no second urging, and took off running after Will – And though he had a sizeable lead on her, she was fast enough on her feet to bridge the gap in distance quickly. The cadet glanced back in time to see a uniformed hand clamp down on his shoulder and drag him earthwards. Coughing from the dust that shot up as a result, Will spun around glared at the woman, "What're you doing? I'm almost there!"

Marina dragged him too his feet and started pulling him back towards the others, "You were ordered to fall back – And I was ordered to make sure you LISTENED to your orders." She spoke sternly, without emotion, "We're going back; I'm done being your babysitter."

Though he struggled against her hold, the cadet could not break free. He was about to give up when the radios flared up again, "We're getting a reading here." It was Robinson's voice, "Heat detected over in that lab – Looks like there might be someone there after all but… Damnit, the signal's fading fast!"

Instantly alert, Will struggled harder then ever against the grasp that pulled him. There was a survivor! 'I knew it!' he told himself, over and over again, 'I just have to get there, before it's too late!'

Marina stopped, and looked back at him, Will returned the glance with pleading eyes, "What if it were you?" he asked her quietly, "Wouldn't you want someone to come and help you?"

She was cold, but she was no stone, and that was all it took. With much reluctance, the woman nodded and released the cadet, waving him off towards the ruined lab, "Let's go. You have five minutes though, then we book it back to the others – Extra baggage or not. Understood?"

But Will was already running, leaving Marina to follow after.

The artillery fired; all three raider bikes vanished in the blink of an eye, with little more then a smoking crater to remember them by. The enemy tank closed in, preparing to fire on the otherwise defenseless Rubinelle tank. Christoph watched the scene in silence, praying that the men operating the artillery could have it reloaded and ready to fire before the tank was destroyed outright – Soldiers though they were, such armaments were still scarce in the new world… They couldn't afford to lose one like this! "Now you're gonna pay, soldier boy!" came a gruff voice through the radio; the voice of the Beast.

Will stopped short of the lab and snatched up his own, staring at it as though he could actually see the startling form of the broad man through the speaker, "He's at it again?" he wondered aloud, in much disbelief, "But why? He almost died… Why is he attacking us again?"

Marina overheard the comment, "Their savages and raiders – They have nothing but what they take from others. That includes the people here, survivors like you and… And us as well. All men like that know is robbery and murder – It's all they have." She gave him a light shove forward, towards the building, "Hurry up, I've got your back. Five minutes, remember?" she gave her machine gun a light pat and followed after Will as he pushed the crooked door aside and entered the building.

The entire building was dark – The power and lighting having long since been lost. Robinson's voice crackled on the radio long enough to assure them that, if there was indeed someone here, they were but a single person. The heat signature wasn't strong enough for much more then that, if it was even a person to begin with. Will struggled to see into the darkened room, keeping a hand tight on his gun and praying that he wouldn't be forced to draw it – His eyes strained from all the squinting, but at last he could make out the various shapes and objects in the room.

The damage was worse then he thought too – The floor above them had collapsed into this one, leaving much of it buried… Including the poor soul still trapped inside. Will saw her first, the body of a young woman half-buried beneath the rubble. With a cry, he raced to her side and grabbed hold of one side of the fallen foundation, urging Marina to take hold of the other and, after much straining, lift it from the poor girl.

Will, sitting upon his knees, raised the young woman's body and checked her pulse – "She's alive!" he gasped, hardly daring to believe it himself. Considering the girl's meager frame, as well as her outright poor physical condition, it was unheard of that she could've survived so much, but still she breathed… Still there was hope for her. Marina glanced around nervously, not at all trusting of an environment in which she couldn't see. Will pressed his head to the girl's chest and listened for a moment, "Her heartbeat… It's really weak – We've gotta get her back to camp, fast!"

Marina stopped and stared at the girl, giving a light tsk as she shook her head, "I don't know kid, just look at her – She ain't long for this world…" the words hurt to say, but she could think of no other way to break the news to him.

But Will would hear none of it; "I'm not giving up!" he exclaimed, angry that the soldier would even suggest such a thing. With a grunt, he rose to his feet, hefting the girl up upon his back and taking a weak, shaky step towards the door, "If you won't help, then fine. I'll carry her myself!"

The soldier sighed and shook her head; the boy was stubborn… But stubborn in a way that reminded her much of a certain captain. "Don't be stupid kid; you can barely walk carrying her."

The cadet, however, was already well on his way towards the door, giving the girl a light shake, or shift of her weight every now and then, and never did he stop calling out to her, "Hey!" he cried, desperation heavy in his voice – He could not let her slip away… Not now, not when they had found her… Not when she had hope to survive all this; "Open your eyes!" he called to her, "I know there's not much to see but… But just look around! You're alive, you know? You're alive, and where there's life, there's hope."


End file.
